Love. Amid all of the chaos, this was the last thing on your mind. Or, at least, it should have been. It would certainly be safe to say that most people in your situation wouldn't give much thought to the concept of romance, and yet, here you were: clinging to your childhood crush like the injured puppy you were. It was borderline pathetic. Some "highly-trained special ops soldier" you were. Your mind had been clouded in the thickest fog all because of your feelings for one boy. You didn't care one bit, though. Perhaps it was naive, but this new emotion left an excited nervousness in you.

The two of you reached the bottom of the stairs, and Touya began to lead you down another hallway. This house really was huge; all these long corridors made the place feel like a museum. You found yourself wondering again what it might have been like to be here with Touya as kids. Perhaps the two of you would have played together in the lush courtyard after training, or shared meals in the dining space. No doubt you'd have hurt yourself back then, too, and Touya would likely still have to patch you up. It was a bittersweet imagination, but you were lost in it nonetheless. That is, until a distant sound startled you out of your daydream. Your head shot up, and you immediately began scanning your surroundings. Your eyes landed on the stairs behind you. It sounded like it came from upstairs. From where you'd just been.

"What was that?" You asked, now on high alert.

"What, that thud? Probably just the wind knocking something down outside." Touya replied nonchalantly. Your friend's cool demeanor did little to calm your nerves. You tightened your grip around his hand.

"I'm… pretty sure it came from up there." You insisted, still glaring at the steps. It was clear the noise had put you on edge again. Touya gave your hand a light squeeze as he tried to soothe your fears.

"Listen, I know all the noises of this house. If anything sounds off, I'll know. If that happens, we'll bail. Promise."

'Promise.' It wasn't a word Touya used lightly- you'd known that since you were kids. Even if he couldn't honor his pledge fully, he always did everything in his power to make sure it went unbroken. Even now, through all of the craziness, he was working to keep a promise he'd made over a decade ago. Despite his villainous status, his track record with you was golden. You never doubted him before, and you surely weren't going to start now. Your trust in him was unbreakable. With a half-hearted nod, you relented.

"Alright."

The two of you continued down the hall, passing multiple rooms on your way. It was surprising just how plain-looking the house was, given its size and overall fancy exterior. A warm, trickling liquid passed over your top lip and dripped onto the wooden floor. You used your free hand to bring the hem of your shirt up to your steadily-bleeding nose, saturating the fabric further with a dark red. Your head was still spinning halfway down the hall. Without Touya's help you felt you'd have had a hard time walking straight. Concussions were always a bit of a bitch for you. They'd harshly impact your ability to use quirk, making it harder for you to guide objects. The dizziness came in waves, ebbing before washing completely over you once more. You released your shirt from your grip, and used your hand to steady yourself against a door to your right.

"Are you alright?" Touya asked, clearly concerned about your sudden faltering. You didn't respond.

"Here, lean on me." He moved closer, wrapping his arm around your torso. You swung your arm over his shoulders and allowed him to take on some of your weight. In truth, the pain wasn't that bad. You'd experienced much worse in your line of work, but the caring attention it earned you from Touya wasn't something you were willing to give up at the moment. So, while you would normally brush it off and refuse help, you chose to stay silent. Besides, with your new revelation, you weren't in the best headspace to argue. You'd felt adolescent puppy-love toward Touya in the past. Those late nights in the program- you always did relish the time you'd get to spend with him. Of course, you were close with Keigo, too, but something about the fiery boy just hit different.

Eventually, you came to a stop outside of another room. This one was much smaller than the training room- smaller than the average bedroom, actually. The walls in here we're different, too: a sterile white color that reminded you of a hospital. In the center, sat a small white examination table with multiple drawers on one side. The wall to your left was lined with cabinets, and just under those, a pristine-looking countertop.

"You guys have your own doctor's office?" You scoffed. It was unbelievable what these rich people could do.

Touya shrugged. "Eh, it's really more of a glorified first aid kit. Can't really do much more than patch up minor injuries. Y'know: cuts, sprains… burns." He hesitated briefly while saying the last word. You exhaled sharply through your nose. The sound might have been mistaken for a half-hearted chuckle.

"Have much experience with that, do you?" Your comment was almost playful, but your friend didn't seem very amused.

"Very funny." He deadpanned with a roll of his eyes.

Touya pulled you over to the table in the middle of the room and parked you right next to it. "Here, take a seat. I'm gonna look for some wipes to get you cleaned up." Your hand slipped away from his calloused palm slowly as he strode to the other side of the room. You smiled lovingly at him as he turned his back to you. A part of you did feel quite silly for wanting to hold on to these distracting emotions. The cliche nature of your relationship was not lost on you. You were supposed to be a hero after all. Chasing your dream had been the one thing on your mind for years, and you didn't know many super successful people with a flourishing love life. Of course, you didn't know many people in general. Really, the only thing you had to go off of for the last few years was Stiller. He was a reasonably successful guy, and you were damn sure that man had never had a love interest. There was Keigo, though most of his success was handed to him by the Commission. Even so, he wasn't involved with anyone romantically… at least, not that you knew of. Then there was Endeavor. Now that was what you'd call successful. A top hero spot, one of the biggest hero agencies in the country (if not the world), not to mention this monument of a house. Yeah, the man had done pretty well for himself. Oh, except the part where he drove his wife insane and shipped her off to a mental facility. The fact that you were now hiding from law enforcement and trespassing on the man's property with his delinquent son also left a lot to be desired. All-in-all, it wasn't looking good for you. Hell, you didn't even know how to approach Touya about it. It was obvious he cared for you, but with all of the time that had passed and all of the madness going on, you worried that he might be put off if you expressed your feelings. There was just no way to know if he felt the same. The thought made your heart sink, but you didn't have much time to dwell on it before another bump captured your attention.

You grimaced and your muscles stiffened. There was always a noticeable change in the atmosphere when other people were present. If you were close enough, you'd be able to pick up on the little things: rustling clothes, soft footsteps, breathing. Further away, you may hear the louder bumps and clangs of objects as they were moved or doors as they were opened or shut. These sounds, while you couldn't immediately identify them, seemed concerningly man-made. You shot up from your spot on the examination table.

"Touya, I'm telling you, I heard something!" You insisted in a whisper. "Come on, let's just get out of here!"

Touya looked back at you, then back at the door. Then back to you, then back to the door again. A resemblance of a scowl rested on his features. He must've heard it too.

"It's… fine." His low voice seemed to lack confidence. "Besides,..." He continued, shaking his head as he returned to his rummaging. "...you've still got blood all over you. Is your nose still bleeding?"

You whined quietly. You desperately wanted to leave, but with your mind so frazzled, you struggled to find the words to explain your reasoning logically. Another noise sent adrenaline-fueled chill down your spine. It was much closer this time. Something was off. Rushing to his side with your quirk, you yanked him away from the open cabinet.

"It doesn't matter! I can clean up when we get out, just… please!" You begged. Thick, red blood continued to drip intermittently from your nose, creating a dark pool as it collected on the shiny white tile.

"Something's wrong, and you know it." Your voice cracked. You tightened your grip on his jacket and tugged a bit more. Truthfully, you wanted to fly the both of you out of there as fast as possible, but if someone else was nearby, the risk of being seen would be too great. Not to mention how difficult it would be to fly straight while concussed. Touya's face didn't change, nor did he make any attempt to move from his spot. It was beyond frustrating.

"You promised." You reminded him in a serious tone.

"But…" Touya stopped his sentence short upon seeing the distressed intensity in your eyes. It wasn't something he enjoyed seeing on you. He sighed, begrudgingly yielding. "Alright. There's just one more thing I want to show you first. It's in the opposite direction anyway." He bargained. His face expressed unwavering seriousness, but his eyes held an importune longing. You couldn't deny it- that puppy-dog face was always impossible to say no to. You were quiet for a long while, listening intently for any other signs of life within the house. You floated silently, just inches off the ground, for what must've been whole minutes. The whole time, Touya said nothing. He just let you bask in the stillness. A strong gust picked up outside, causing the trees to creek and scrape against each other. The sound of their branches clacking together comforted you. They did resemble what you'd heard. Slowly, you allowed your feet to return to the ground.

'Maybe I am just being overly paranoid.' You thought.

You released Touya's arm from your tight grip, but continued to speak in a hushed tone.

"Okay. Let's just be quick." You finally agreed. Touya's mien immediately shifted upon receiving your approval. He beamed joyfully, slipping his hand into your own and lacing your fingers together. With a reassuring squeeze, he led you into the hallway once more.

'Ah, crap.' His action had caught you completely off guard. Even in the midst of such a nerve-wracking situation, you found yourself completely enamoured by the feeling of Touya's hand around yours. A red hue dusted your cheeks. You were grateful now that he was walking in front of you.

On the surface, at least, he had returned to his cool, unbothered self. Touya snuck a cautious peek down the hallway. Better to be safe than sorry. Just as he'd said, the two of you headed in the opposite direction of the noises. Though you'd calmed down, you still chose to make your way quickly through the hall, with Touya keeping up just beside you. You were grateful he didn't complain about your rushed pace.

The two of you were headed for the front of the building. You felt your heart calm as you passed the threshold to the inside. At least from here, you couldn't be seen from the courtyard or any other part of the house. As you walked through, it became apparent that this area was more nicely decorated. Charming figures on shelves and intricate window designs brought the whole ensemble together. The kitchen, like the rest of the place, was rather large, and the dining area even had a small television. Despite the rest of the house being quite simple, this area really was quite nice to look at.

"Wow. I never expected Endeavor would have such nice taste in interior design." You said, turning your head left and right to get a better look at everything.

Touya shrugged. "Eh. Most of this was probably my sister. I doubt the old man gave much of a damn what kind of trinkets were put in here." He huffed.

"It's just down here." He said pointing down the hall. You continued for a few more meters before eventually stopping outside of yet another door.

"I would've liked to bring you here under better circumstances, but seeing how everything's gone to shit…" He almost laughed. Touya leaned over you to use his free hand to pull open the door.

It was a plain looking room. There was hardly anything in it, really. A couple of shelves to your left housed various toys and even a couple of crayon doodles. Just behind them, on the far left wall, stood a tall, ornate cabinet. You stared blankly into the room for a long moment before the realization finally slapped you in the face.

"Is this…?" You began in disbelief.

"My room, yeah. Or at least it was. In case you haven't noticed, I don't really live here anymore."

Your eyes went wide, and your jaw slack. You'd always wanted to see Touya's room. Back in the program, most of your rooms were bare, holding only the essentials. Your minds were kept busy by training, so there really wasn't a need for toys or electronics. It was surprising they'd let you keep Blinky the Snail. You recalled Touya mentioning having a computer in his room, and thinking that was just about the coolest thing ever. Now, though, it seemed most of the furniture was moved out. Touya nodded towards the room as you glanced up at him, silently giving you the okay to enter. You stepped into the room almost cautiously, and your hand slipped away from Touya's as you drew further. It was only a room, but it felt different somehow. Almost sacred. Touya followed just behind you, leaving the door open. He stayed quiet as your eyes darted around.

'I'm… in Touya's room.' The adolescent thought brought heat to the tips of your ears. 'Holy crap, I'm in Touya's room… with him.' In reality, it shouldn't have been that big a deal. Maybe it was just the concept. Though this was under drastically different circumstances, it was still rather taboo to be in your crush's bedroom all alone with them.

'Is that really what I'm worried about right now. Damn, I am cringey.' You chastised yourself for allowing your thoughts to get the better of you. You looked through the toys on the shelves. A fire truck. That's ironic. A couple of generic action figures, a car, a ball, quite a few books, and even an Endeavor figure. Everything looked like it had been untouched for years, but the shelves were rather clean. At the very least, someone had been dusting them. Your eyes finally landed on the large cabinet in the corner. The wood on top was carved out into an intricate, yet elegant design.

'It's a butsudan. Does that mean…' A sick feeling found its way into your gut once again. You turned your head to look at Touya, then back at the butsudan. You brought your hands up to rub your forearms as Touya came closer. It was more self-soothing than anything. Touya stood slouched by your side, hands shoved into his pockets.

"You can open it, if you want." He said abruptly. You stared at him, surprised.

"Are you sure that's okay?" Your hesitation was understandable. This wasn't your house, after all, and this wasn't your family's altar. Touching it seemed outright disrespectful. Despite this, Touya insisted.

"My room. My rules." He spoke flatly. You took a deep breath in as you approached the cabinet. Gently, you took the handles in your hands and tugged. The strong scent of incense struck you almost immediately. An array of items were revealed as the doors parted: candles, incense, flowers, etc. It was your standard altar, but out of everything inside, only one thing stuck out to you. His blue eyes stared, unchanging, right back at you, and his signature white hair was in its typical disheveled state. You frowned. Of course Touya's picture would be there- you should have known that. Even so, the sight of his face on the altar was unpleasant to say the least. You turned away from it, instead focusing your gaze onto the floor.

"Is it strange?" Touya asked, coming up behind you and placing his hands on your shoulders.

"Well, it isn't my favorite thing to see." You admitted almost sarcastically. Touya's hands rubbed a comforting path up and down your arms.

"I'm right here, though. I'm fine." He assured.

'No. No, you're not.' You wanted to say. You wheeled yourself around to face him. The deep purple scars that stretched across his face were a far cry from the baby faced boy you'd seen in the photo. It wasn't your fault. None of it was, but you couldn't help but feel guilty somehow. Your lips were curved downward in a perpetually sullen look. You brought your hand up to his face and ghosted the staples holding together his cheeks.

"Do they hurt?" You wondered aloud. The strength in your voice was beginning to slip away.

"Not anymore. Most of the nerves are damaged, so I don't really feel much of anything, really." He informed, his volume close to a whisper.

Your bottom lip began to tremble as your fingertips finally met his skin. Tears formed on your bottom lid, and you inhaled deeply. The scars weren't what was bothering you. It didn't matter what he looked like. You felt powerless. It had happened when the both of you were so young, and even though there was nothing you could have done at the time, you couldn't help but overthink how useless you were to him.

"Touya, I'm… so sorry." Your fingers gingerly traced the outline of his suters up to his ear. Touya took hold of your scarred wrist. He took your hand away from his face, but maintained the closeness between the two of you.

"Don't you dare apologize." He breathed. Your watery eyes finally overflowed as the tears became too heavy for your lashes to hold back. Touya's grip tightened ever so slightly around your arm, and he tugged you forward, bringing you closer to him.

"B-but if I…" You struggled to speak. The air in your lungs seemed to force itself out just as quickly as you'd breathe it in.

"I don't like seeing you cry, (Y/n)." His warm breath danced across your inflamed cheeks and swirled around your lips. It wasn't until Touya's forehead met yours that you became aware of your position. You were given almost no time to react. In one quick, yet delicate motion, Touya brought his face completely down to your level. He nudged your cheek with his nose, prompting you to tint your head up for him. An unsteady breath left you as Touya's lips met yours, and your eyes closed almost instinctively. His kiss was subtle at first, lips barely pursed, and hesitant to apply pressure. Your heart pounded away in your chest, and a tremor radiated through your arms. Touya's thumb rubbed small circles on your wrist. His other hand came up to take hold of the bottom of your shirt, pulling your torso closer to his. A hazy static clouded your mind as you allowed your body to relax against him. Feeling a bit more confident, Touya pressed his lips against yours a little harder. You reciprocated, and brought your free hand up to his chest. The two of you pulled away simultaneously only to tilt your heads in the other direction and meet again in the middle for another tender peck.

Your blurred brain finally began to clear up; however, your whole body was now shaking violently. Touya maintained his hold on your wrist and shirt. Your foreheads were still connected once the kiss was finally broken. Your eyes fluttered open to meet Touya's own. A shy smile formed on his quivering lips and he breathed out a laugh.

"I wasn't sure I was allowed to do that earlier." He confessed almost timidly. You couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Touya being so unconfident. It wasn't something you were used to.

"I… I think… you can do that… whenever you want. " You said thoughtlessly. You weren't sure if your heart was ever going to beat normally again. You had so many things you wanted to say- so many questions you wanted to ask, but you knew there was a more pressing issue at hand. "But… maybe we should get out of here first."

Touya pulled his face away and nodded in agreement. Finally. "Sure. This is really the only thing I wanted to show you anyway."

You scoffed. "What, your shrine?"

Touya chuckled. "Nah, just the room. I guess I just wanted to feel normal for a minute." Your smile faded, but the love in your eyes never faltered.

"Well, I can understand tha…" You stopped short. Something moved in the side of your vision. Your eyes widened in horror as a large figure stopped in your peripheral. Both yours and Touya's heads snapped towards the entrance. The man's bulky build nearly filled the entire doorway. His narrow eyes widened in astonishment as they met yours. Your body had been trembling for a while, but now, it was for a new reason entirely.

"(H/n)?" Enji Todoroki's deep voice called out to you, confusion evident in his tone.

"Endeavor…" You croaked in terror. His sharp eyes shot back and forth between you and the villain holding tightly to your arm and shirt.

"Dabi!" The Flame Hero spit venomously, taking a defensive stance.

"(Y/n)..." Touya husked as he released your arm. Straight away, you balled his t-shirt into your fist. Blue flames engulfed Touya's forearm. Fear washed over you.

'I can't fly us out the door. No way we get past Endeavor.' You looked to the wall on the opposite end of the room. As if on cue, Touya sent a massive burst of flames directly at the side of the building. Smoke, dust, and other debris filled the room, quickly shrouding your view of Endeavor. It was now or never. You snatched Touya around his waist and held his back tightly against your stomach. In a flash, you activated your quirk and forced yourself into the air. A monumental craaaaccckk sounded behind you as the wood beneath your feet split and splintered under the force. You soared over the back wall of the Todoroki estate at a speed that would put Hawks to shame. The cold wind stung your face as you zigged and zagged through the air. If there was ever a time to panic, it was now.

You had been caught red-handed.